E-mail this page"Buzz" Surrounds Public Launch of Bright with Promise Campaign
SUNY Plattsburgh Celebrates Progress Toward $15M Goal
Buzz. Confidence. Pride. Momentum.
These words were proclaimed during the public launch of SUNY Plattsburgh's Bright with Promise Campaign, held Friday, Oct. 17, in the Angell College Center.
Surrounded by the leadership of the college, including the College Council, the Plattsburgh Alumni Association and the Plattsburgh College Foundation, college President John Ettling rattled off the many indicators of the momentum felt across campus.
"We are on a roll"
"We are poised for success in this campaign and in all of our endeavors," Etting said. "We are on a roll."
The Bright with Promise Campaign is the first comprehensive fundraising effort in the college's 119-year history.
The campaign has a goal of $15 million, by June 30, 2011. Most of the funds raised will be dedicated to student scholarships, ensuring that a SUNY Plattsburgh education remains affordable well into the future.
As of Sept. 30, gifts and pledges to the campaign surpassed the $9.4 million mark. In addition to this momentum, Ettling noted that applications were up 34% over the past five years, the selectivity of the college has increased, and the college has earned accolades from Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine as an "outstanding value" and by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best public colleges in the northeast.
The Campaign Is About the Students
To ensure that this momentum is maintained, Ettling stressed the importance of the campaign, which is focused squarely on the students of SUNY Plattsburgh. "Students need our help; they need your help," Ettling stated. "They are why we are here."
The campaign calls for the support of everyone with a stake in the success of SUNY Plattsburgh, but Ettling was careful to point out the importance of alumni stepping forward to support their alma mater.
"Lisa and I travel to many alumni events across the country, and I'm happy to report that there is great enthusiasm for our college across the ranks of our alumni," he said.
Success Depends on All Gifts
Alongside Kathy MaGaw '72, fellow campaign co-chair, Celine Paquette '60 spoke of her excitement in helping lead the overall effort.
"It is with great pride and pleasure that I serve as co-chair for the Bright with Promise campaign," Paquette said.
Read Message from Campaign Co-Chairs
Recounting her own experience as a student, Paquette said, "SUNY Plattsburgh gave me an outstanding educational foundation; all of my successes started right here. Many aspects of the college have changed over the years but the one thing that remains constant is the high quality of the faculty and staff."
Paquette made special note of the fact that since the launch of the campaign's "quiet phase," over 12,000 donors have stepped forward to make a gift. Of those supporters, more than 3,500 were first-time donors to SUNY Plattsburgh.
"However, bear in mind that this campaign is not just about major gifts - it's about the participation," Paquette said. "In fact, 98 percent of all of the gifts received so far have been for $1,000 or less."
"There is no doubt in my mind that we will meet our goal on or before June 30, 2011," Paquette concluded. "Our success in this campaign will ensure that we fulfill our promise to students."
Contact Information
For more information about SUNY Plattsburgh's Bright With Promise campaign, please contact:
Anne Whitmore Hansen
Executive Director, Plattsburgh College Foundation
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Office: Hawkins Hall 109
Phone: (518) 564-2090
E-mail: anne.hansen@plattsburgh.edu